We extend heartfelt congratulations to our 2024 – 2025 Subject Advisor (SAD) of the Year, Ms. Sumita Balijee, from BASIS Independent McLean!
Congratulations, too, to our runners-up, Ms. Bridget Reilly (PK1 Language and Literacy), from BASIS Independent Brooklyn, and Ms. Maggie Li (Mandarin II-AP) from BASIS Independent McLean!
The SAD of the Year is a celebration and greater recognition of all the work our Subject Advisors (SADs) do, including providing template syllabi for teachers, creating assessments, collaborating with SETs across the BASIS Independent School network, and working incredibly hard to build subject mastery for each of our students.
“Subject Advisors are wonderful at what they do,” expressed Ms. Linda Louis, Senior Director of the BASIS Curriculum. “It is important to acknowledge the myriad ways they impact our network and to give teachers the opportunity to reflect on how much their work has been positively shaped by their SADs.”
The role of a Subject Advisor (SAD): curriculum and community
BASIS Curriculum Schools have a Subject Advisor for each required course and some electives, all the way from STEM Discovery in PreK to Capstone courses for seniors. A SAD is first and foremost a classroom teacher; experienced BASIS Curriculum Schools teachers apply to take on the SAD role and become extensions of the BASIS Curriculum Team. SADs are responsible for updating the curriculum and refining vertical alignment annually. This task involves looking beyond their classroom experiences, seeking input from teachers across the network of BASIS Independent and International Schools, incorporating insights from assessment data, and considering ongoing conversations in their fields.
The power of a network, leveraged by Subject Advisors
Throughout the year, SADs prompt discussion among teachers of their course(s) and provide valuable guidance to teachers in monthly forums. Teachers can share advice on pedagogy, assessments, and classroom activities, and request resources or assistance. SADs also host network-wide meetings over Zoom throughout the year to cultivate a community of colleagues. Their role in shaping learning outcomes and facilitating opportunities for professional growth and development ensures continuous improvement in the educational experience provided to students.
How SADs are nominated
Teachers across our network were asked to nominate their SAD in an anonymous, voluntary survey. The BASIS Curriculum Team reviewed all entries, carefully considering responses on several critical topics from academic support to community-building and more. Testimonials from advisees about how enthusiastic, helpful, and knowledgeable their SADs are made the decision to choose the winners extremely difficult!
Writes one of Ms. Balijee’s advisees: “She has been a SAD for several years and has always been extremely dedicated to this role. I would love to see her be recognized for all of her contributions. I know she has spent hours and hours poring over the CCDs and other curriculum documents and always reviews everything with the finest-tooth comb possible to ensure they are correct in both content and formatting. She has worked with the other math SADs to align the curriculum across courses. She was instrumental in the network’s adoption of the SAVVAS books and resources, and so many have relied on her guidance with how to use the online platform and its resources. With this, she has been a thoughtful partner for the other math SADs and some teachers who have struggled with the integration of the Geometry book in the middle school math sequence. During summer institutes, she has been a fountain of ideas and resources for teachers. If you need any other evidence of her commitment to the role, just take a look at one of her newsletters. You won’t find a more beautifully formatted and user-friendly resource!”
“We feel so fortunate to have Ms. Balijee on the Curriculum Team as a SAD,” expressed Ms. Wen Yang, Professional Development Manager. “From curriculum revision, syllabi review, to network-level exam creation and participation on advisory panels, she does everything with dedication and precision. She is also deeply committed to supporting teachers, demonstrated by the thoughtful and high-quality content she provides in her newsletters, rich and differentiated resources and activities she created and shared with teachers, and the well-organized SAD meetings and PD workshops she led throughout the years.”
We are incredibly grateful to our exceptional Subject Advisors for their hard work and dedication. Congratulations on the completion of another school year!
